OK, so I'm as happy as a pig in poo as, for the first time since my early twenties, I am a nice pear-shaped size 14 once again.
In May of this year I realised that the size 16s were getting a big snug, and I woke up to the fact that my delicate curves had, in fact, become serious amounts of lard, and I had become an unhealthy apple with no discernible middle.
Even worse, my baby was 2.5, so I couldn't even call it baby fat any more.
To cut a v long story short, I have lost a stone, started running and have the fabby task ahead of replacing my wardrobe.
I am an unashamed Boden fiend, but don't want my entire wardrobe to come from there. Let's face it, I'm already a teacher, I live in Hampshire and one of my children has an officially poncy name. I cook in Le Crueset pans and have a John Lewis card. Blimey. Is there any hope for me?
I need to diversify but haven't a clue where to start. I know what I don't like: cheapy looking fabrics that lose their shape after one wash; tarty looking stuff; obvious designer marks on clothes (yes, I know that every hotchpotch top screams louder than any label ever could...) and I'm not over smart but don't like sports wear except for sport.
My old wardrobe came mainly from M and S and Bravissimo with a bit of Boden but I rarely bought clothes, as my general feeling was that everything looked crap on me so I didn't bother too much. Having realised that if I didn't like how I looked it was no good waiting for something to happen, I'm delighting in having a waist once more.
I haven't a clue where even to start. I quite like the look of Hobbs but can't afford it. I like to wear skirts or trousers, but have little call for the v smart. I'm not one for serious accessorising and can't wear heels (Mother kept be cruelly in Clarks till i was 14, so never learnt!) I work four mornings a week and hang around with a 2 and 4 year old the rest of the week. My arse is still proportionally huge and I have mahooosive norks (last cup size a 34G, and although this is now wrinkled and therefore in need of replacement Gawd only knows what I have become. It does mean that many of the floaty tops from Fat Face etc just look like maternity wear on me. I used to like Talbots and Liz Claiborne from outlet places, but they seem to have disappeared. Oh, and I'm only 5 foot 2, so petite fittings are a favourite as I can wear them without having to saw half the legs off first.
So, good laydeez of the Style board. Where else should I look? I have an internet addiction and so can shop by post. I'm not loaded.